Savannah State completing football coaching search

(STATS) - Savannah State is on the verge of selecting a new coach to try to turn around its struggling program.

Athletic director Sterling Steward told the Savannah Morning News the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference school is choosing between three finalists, former Morehead College and Alabama A&M coach Anthony Jones, Wabash College coach Erik Raeburn and long-time college assistant Kevin Grisby.

A Savannah State spokesman said Wednesday a news conference to introduce the new coach is expected for Friday on campus.

Savannah State is replacing Earnest Wilson III, who resigned in February to become the coach at Elizabeth City State. He was 2-32 over three seasons at SSU, which has won more than two games in a season once since the school moved to the FCS level in 2000.

Jones, 55, has a 101-70 record over 15 seasons, going 18-13 at Division II Morehouse from 1999-2001 and 83-57 at Alabama A&M from 2002-13. He has been Arkansas-Pine Bluff's offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach the last two seasons.

He coached in the MEAC previously as an assistant at South Carolina State from 1992-97.

A former NFL tight end, the Wichita State graduate won Super Bowl XXII with the Washington Redskins.

Raeburn, 44, has enjoyed great success on the Division III level, compiling a 135-39 record over 16 seasons split between Coe in Iowa and Wabash in Indiana. He's led six teams to the national playoffs, with two of his four qualifiers at Wabash reaching the quarterfinals in 2011 and last year.

He also was an assistant coach at his alma mater Mount Union and was part of the Purple Raiders' three consecutive Division III national titles from 1996-98. He is the nephew of former Mount Union coach Larry Kehres.

Grisby has 20 years of experience as a college coach, spending last season at MEAC program Norfolk State as the assistant head coach and cornerbacks coach.

He coached at St. Paul's College in Virginia from 2004-11, including as interim head coach in 2010.

In addition, Grisby has been an assistant coach at Virginia Union, Virginia State and MEAC member Bethune-Cookman, his alma mater.